Stay Strong
by TheOutsidersFanatic
Summary: "We run through the finish, hands held high in the air. Instantly, I pull her to the side and kneel down, sliding the velvet box from my shorts." Stay strong Boston, we're all still praying for you.


**A/N: H****i guys! (I'm sort of on a roll tonight...) This is my extremely late tribute to the Boston Marathon bombing. I hope everyone effected by the events are doing well. Insane tear-jerker, so y'all know. Sorry if I have a little detail wrong, originally the characters were Everett and Bella. I may have missed some names or something along those lines. If you see anything, please let me know! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders, I just throw them in situations and make them suffer...oops.**

Stay Strong

**Ponyboy's POV**

The ring bounces in my pocket as I stomp along the road. I glance over at her- watching her hair flop around as she runs. A bust of wind blows through and I swear she's flying. She catches my gaze and smiles, eyes bright.

A nervous feeling builds up in my stomach as we continue along. She's so perfect- I'll be devastated if she says no. I'm pulled into daydream at the thought.

_We run through the finish, hands held high in the air. Instantly, I pull her to the side and kneel down, sliding the velvet box from my shorts. Her eyes shine with tears- she knows what's coming, I've already kept her waiting two years._

_ "Will you-"_

I feel something nudge into my shoulder, snapping me away from the perfection of the thought. She has a confused look on- like I voluntarily ran into a sign.

"Only another mile and a half." She breathes out, voice muffled by the crowd's constant cheering.

I nod, focusing on the pattering of feet around me. Ours are in sync and I smile- let's just hope she'll say yes.

**Her POV**

Our feet smack against the road in perfect unison and a smile snakes it's way on. He's too sweet. He trained so hard just to run this with me. I glance up at him- his bright green eyes already locked on mine.

"I love you." I whisper breathlessly.

"Ditto."

I glare playfully at him- he knows I hate it when he just says 'ditto'.

"I love you more." He grins, scrunching up his nose.

"Let's go guys! Just a little longer! Keep it up!" I glance over and see our friends lined along the fence.

I shoot my head up, "Did you-?"

He nods, smiling at my enthusiasm. The finish comes into view. I involuntarily reach out and lace his fingers with mine. He squeezes back as we run toward the end. Suddenly, though, the road is overtaken with smoke. A delayed, deafening boom shoots off and I'm smacked to the ground. I try to push up, but whatever's on top of me is unwilling. Pony's smooth voice murmurs in my ear and I stop the fight.

It's overwhelmingly hot and every time I try to take a breath, coughs rack through my body. Another boom explodes, this time closer- seemingly next to us. Screams from sideliners sound broken, unreal. I can still hear ringing in my ears and stomping of feet around us. Something trickles down my arm, bringing me back to Earth. Ponyboy groans by my ear. Piecing two and two together, a sick feeling settles in my stomach. I lightly push him away, bile rising up my throat.

**Ponyboy's POV**

She grabs onto my hand as the finish comes into view. I set my eye ahead. As my foot his the pavement, a deafeningly loud boom- it sounds like some kind of ammunition, maybe a gun, a bomb?- sounds. I push her down, hovering over top of her. She squirms around underneath me.

I murmur her name, trying to get her to relax.

I can feel sweat trickling down my forehead, smoke clouding my vision. My heart pounds hard against my chest and I wonder vaguely why it hasn't broken though yet. My thought is cut as another explosion takes off. I can't hear out of my left ear and when I try to breathe, smoke clogs my lungs. A searing, white-hot pain catches through my legs and something sharp cuts into my back. I let out a small groan before the pain goes away. There's nothing. I feel nothing- just sort of broken off from the world. It feels like a vacuum sucking me away.

She slowly pushes me back, her voice frantic, "Pony?"

**Her POV**

"Pony?" I ask, trying to keep from panic.

He tries to blink open his eyes- slowly, almost robotically. I glance down, instantly regretting it. Its like his legs are barely hanging on. Blood streams from his back sickeningly slow. I lean off to silently vomit the fear away. His eyes are open now, but their usual cheery green is dull, lifeless. He looks tired, like he'll pass out at any second.

"Someone! Help! He's gonna die, help!" I can feel myself slowly turning to hysterics.

I throw my arms wildly in the smoke. Sirens and people scream, calling out to one another. Security is talking too loud through megaphones and I _still can't see._

Something warm wraps around my arms. Ponyboy pulls me to him, voice calm and quiet, "Its alright. I'll be fine, its too late anyway."

Already tears stream down my face. Shakily, he wipes them away with his thumb. He jolts up suddenly, eyes gaining a moment of light before he falls back with a hiss of pain.

"Reach into my pocket." He mumbles. Too quickly for it to be normal.

I do as he says, pulling out a tiny red velvet box. Opening it, a stunningly simple, beautiful ring sits inside. Tears rise again, and its all I can do to not break down in sobs.

"B-be mine?" he croaks out, tears flowing down his cheeks too.

I nod, slipping the silver band on my finger. I close my eyes and imagine him putting the ring on me. We're standing on the hill at the park in the middle of the night. He bends down on one knee, slowly lifting the top.

He kisses my hand gently, "Will you-"

"I love you. Stay strong for me." Pony forces a smile, presses his lips to my hand, and leans back, visibly relaxing.

I let out a sob, falling into his chest. Pretending the arms at the sides of me are wrapped protectively around my body. I clutch at his shirt, tears soaking through it.

"Why?"

All the energy flows out of me and I drop down onto him again, feeling nothing but the tears running out, down my cheeks. But I have to stay strong. He would've wanted me to. And so I will. After this hurt ends and I feel safe again. If there is such a think anymore.


End file.
